The present invention relates to methods and devices for trimming and end-rounding bristles, e.g., bristles used in toothbrushes.
Brushes of many types are formed by mounting a plurality of bristles, typically arranged in tufts, on a brush body so that the tips of the bristles together define a brushing surface. In many applications it is necessary to trim the bristles to a uniform length (or in some cases to different lengths to form a contoured brushing surface). Some applications further require that the tips of the bristles be "end-rounded", i.e., that the shape of the tips be altered from the typical blunt-cut flat tip surface that is present after trimming to a smooth, relatively hemispherical tip shape. End-rounding is particularly important when the bristles are to be used in a toothbrush, as the sharp edges of blunt-cut bristle tips may contribute to gingival abrasion and/or cause discomfort to the toothbrush user.